WW3 fears erupt as NATO forced to scramble fighter jets to intercept five Russian aircraft

NATO has been forced to scramble fighter jets to intercept five Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

The Russian planes were flying without flight plans or active transponders, according to the Latvian Air Force.

Spotted on Friday and Saturday, the Russian jets sparked a rapid response from NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission.

They were detected in international airspace near the Baltic states, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, but, according to the Latvian Air Force, didn't have active transponders - devices that help maintain air traffic safety.

The German Air Force said a group of five jets was identified on Saturday, made up of four Sukhoi Su-30MKIs and one Sukhoi Su-35.

Latvia's Air Force said NATO scrambled Eurofighter jets to escort the Russian aircraft, which were likely trying to test the military alliance's member states, according to The Kyiv Independent news website.

This is the latest in a number of encounters between NATO and Russian jets over the Baltic Sea, with Latvian radar spotting an unidentified object near Belarus on Tuesday.

That prompted another scramble from NATO, with fighter jets from Lielvarde Air Base sent to investigate but unable to find any suspicious objects over Latvia, according to Newsweek. Latvia's Defence Ministry later said the object was a flock of birds.

Earlier this month, two RAF Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth were scrambled to intercept a pair of Russian Bear-F maritime reconnaissance aircraft operating near the UK, although they did not enter UK sovereign airspace.

Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke also monitored the progress of Russian Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and a supporting tug as it passed through the Dover Strait before a similar operation to shadow the corvette Stoiky and a tanker.

Patrol ship HMS Tyne was also involved in the operation to monitor the Stoiky.

The RAF and Royal Navy frequently monitor Russian planes and vessels as they travel near the UK, but that activity came at a time of heightened tension due to the war in Ukraine.

London and Washington have faced calls from Kyiv to grant permission to allow long-range weapons supplied to Ukraine to be used to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is in the United States to shore up support for Ukraine in the war this week. So far he has not persuaded the Pentagon or White House to loosen restrictions on use of US supplied long range weapons.

The Defense Department has emphasized Ukraine can already hit Moscow with Ukrainian-produced drones. There is also hesitation on the strategic implications of a US-made missile potentially striking Russia.